


It’s called a SQUIP.

by esperink



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Missing Scene, Title sucks but oh well, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-03 23:43:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14580246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esperink/pseuds/esperink
Summary: Jeremy tells Michael about what Rich told him in the restrooms.





	It’s called a SQUIP.

Jeremy looked distracted. It was clear by how many times his character died while they were playing their game, and Michael was already having a not-so-great day, with what happened that morning, so he pressed pause with a slight, barely audible sigh.

“What’s up?” he asked.

Jeremy looked up in surprise at the game being paused; a delayed reaction like he wasn’t paying too much attention to the screen. “What?”

“You’re distracted,” Michael replied, setting his controller down and leaning back in his bean bag chair. “What’s got you so distracted?”

Jeremy seemed to be mulling over an answer. “Okay, well, you know Rich?”

Michael tried to ignore the way his stomach twisted uncomfortably and nodded. “Well I mean yeah, he is sort of the one that keeps bothering us.”

“Right, right,” Jeremy said. “Well, he sort of cornered me in the bathroom earlier.” At Michael’s raised eyebrow, Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Not like that.”

“Sure,” Michael teased, and he was pleased when Jeremy gave a small chuckle.

“Did you know that he went to our school Freshman year?” Jeremy asked.

Michael didn’t answer. His hands curled around the strings of his hoodie and he frowned, but he didn’t answer. Jeremy didn’t seem to notice.

“Well, apparently he did!” Jeremy continued. “Which is weird, because I don’t remember him. He said he was a loser, like us.”

Michael only nodded along quietly. He remembered Rich Freshman year. His hands tightened around his hoodie’s strings.

“But then he got this thing,” Jeremy continued.

“This thing?” Michael questioned, sitting up, now curious. Would he finally be gettig an explanation for Rich’s complete 180 at the beginning of Sophomore year?

“Yeah, he said it’s called... a SQUIP?”

“He got a quick?”

“SQUIP,” Jeremy said, making sure to pronounce it more clearly. “And it tells him what to do. How to be popular and all. He told me he only was going after us because his SQUIP was telling him to.”

Michael furrowed his brow, thinking. “What’s... a SQUIP?” he asked, trying to understand. He let go of his hoodie strings.

“It’s this... it’s this grey oblong pill, apparently,” Jeremy said. “It’s from Japan and it’s quantum nanotechnology. Basically a computer. And it tells you what to do.”

Michael took a deep breath. “Okay,” he said, frowning.

“He said he could actually get me one!”

Michael looked up, feeling his chest constrict. If this was what changed Rich from some decent kid to a bully then he didn’t want it anywhere near Jeremy.

“I mean... I’ll have to bring 600 dollars to school on Monday, if I want one.”

Michael relaxed minutely.

“But it might be worth it, you know? To finally be cool and maybe be able to get Christine? You know how people say sacrifices have to be made.”

Michael chewed on his lip. What if it changed Jeremy for the worst? Like Rich...

He wondered if Rich was happy, with how he was now. He wondered if he regretted it. It didn’t seem like he did. He was probably happy not being a loser.

Michael couldn’t help but let his hands curl, hidden by the sleeves of his hoodie. Why couldn’t Rich have been happy? He picked at the strings of the bean bag. Then again, Rich seemed pretty lonely during Freshman year. Michael had invited him to their table a few times, though, so he can’t blame himself for that. He tried to include Rich but Rich didn’t seem to want that.

Why couldn’t Jeremy be happy? Michael and Jeremy had each other. Was that not enough? Would this SQUIP thing make Jeremy leave him? Would it even want him around? His fingernails dug into his palm.

“Michael?” Jeremy said, and Michael looked up. He hadn’t realized that Jeremy had stopped talking. He’d been too caught up in his head and worries and thoughts.

“Yeah?” Michael said.

“Do you want to keep playing?” Jeremy gestured to the game console.

“Yeah,” Michael replied, grabbing his controller.

He hoped Jeremy wouldn’t get the SQUIP. Or if he did, he hoped it wouldn’t change him like Rich.


End file.
